Improvement in mantels and fronts for fire-places



ILKJNNES 1&9 W.W.MAGILL Improvement in. Maart els 11,7294 :'ig-llIAmmmu JUL251871 Fig.. rfig.3.

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d f/fa/mma UNITED STATES Y @ay/M@ @MJ/@W PATENT DAVID K. INNES AND WESLEY V. MAGILL, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN NIANTELS AND FRONTS FOR FIRE-PLACES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,294, dated July 25,1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, DAVE) K. INNES and WESLEY W. MAGILL, both of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain Improvements in Mantels, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of mantels which is constructed of cast-iron, and the rst part of our improvements consists in providing them with shelves that are composed of slate, marble, or any other suitable mineral, by which arrangement perfectly flat and uniform shelves are furnished, which cannot be done when these members of the mantels are made of cast-iron, as heretofore. The second part of our improvement consists in making the central ornament or key of the mantel of cast-iron, and providing it with a screw-threaded stem or shank, whereby it can be readily attached to the mantel, it being understood that said cast key can be applied either to iron, slate, marble, or any other mantel. The third part of our improvement consists in providing cast-iron mantels with slate, marble, or other mineral wall-plates, which can be adjusted so as to allow the mantel to fit any width of chimney-wall. By thus combining a metallicwith a non-metallic material we are enabled to manufacture a more perfect mantel than could be produced with either material alone and at a cheaper rate.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mantel embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal seci tion, showing the shiftable wall-plates; and Fig.

4 is a section through the upper part of the mantel, with the shelf and key detached.

A represents a cast-iron mantel, which is secured to the chimney-wall in any suitable man'- ner, and said mantel is surmounted by a shelf, B, which, instead of being constructed of castiron, is composed of slate, marble, or any other preferred mineral. This shelf rests upon the mantel, and is tted into the chimn ey-wall in the usual manner. The principal ornament or key C of the mantel is made of cast-iron, and has anchored in it a stem or shank, D, which is screw-threaded so as to receive a nut, d, whereby said key isattached to the mantel. The stem D passes through an aperture, a, which is drilled through the front plate of the mantel. E E are the wall-plates,

and said plates, instead of being cast in one piece with the mantel, are separate therefrom, and are made of slate or marble. The mantel F, in Fig. 4, is supposed to be marble or other mineral, and this view shows that the cast key can be applied to such mantels as well as to iron ones.

The great objection to cast-iron mantel-shelves has always been that in cooling they will warp to a greater or lesser extent, and no amount of care or attention on the part of the melder will enable him to produce aplate which is sightly enough to be applied to an article that occupies such a prominent situation as a mantel. The provision of the mineral shelf entirely overcomes this objection, and causes the mantel to have a perfectly uniform and symmetrical appearance. The mineral shelf can be marbleized or otherwise ornamented so as to agree with the mantel. The mantel proper being always constructed with a number of angles, moldings, ornaments, &c., is thereby stiffened, and will not warp and'twist the same as the at plate which composes the shelf. The detachable cast-iron key greatly facilitates the manufacture of mantels, as said key can be readily applied either to cast-iron, slate, marble, or other mantels.

In constructing slate Vor marble mantels the key has heretofore been curved or chise'led out by hand, thus making it the most expensive part of the mantel; but by making this member of cast-iron it can be applied to any kind of mantel at a mere nominal expense. This key must be painted, marbleized, or otherwise'adapted to harmonize with the mantel to which it is to be applied. 'lhe key being separated, enables the purchaser to select such a one as he prefers, and by applying different keys to the same kinds of mantels the style and appearance of the latter will be entirely changed.

Iron mantels, as heretofore constructed, have had their wall-plates cast with them, which is a great disadvantage, as they frequently will not agree with the breadth of the chimney-wall; but by making said plates separable they can be shifted so as to exactly iit the place where the mantel is to be secured. No special devices are employed for securing these plates, they being held in position by the mantel.

The member C may be attached to the mantel by a key or other device instead of the screwthreaded shank, and not as herein described.

We claim as our inventionl. Providing a east-iron mantel With a shelf E', when arranged as herein described, and for composed of slate, marble, o1" other suitable minthe object explained.

eral, as and for the purpose explained. In testimony of which invention We hereunto 2. The provision in a mantel of the separable set our hands. cast-iron key C, for the object stated. D. K. INN ES.

3. The combination of the mantel A a, separable east-iron key C, screw-threaded shank D, Witnesses:

and nut cl, for the purpose set forth. GEO. H. KNIGHT,

4. The detached and shiftable Wall-plates E JAMES H. LAYMAN.

W. W. MAGILL. 

